| dc.description.abstract | The primary aim of this study was to determine
whether there are any differences in personality between participants and non-participants in organized, individual sport. Attention was also paid to
possible differences in personality between men and
women (whether participants or not) and possible
differences in personality between the participants
in various types of sport (men and women separately).
Five branches of sport were involved, viz. karate,
athletics, tennis, squash and gymnastics. The
groups studied consisted of male and female students.
Three psychometric instruments were used: the 16 PF,
the P.H.S.F. and the IPAT anxiety scale. These
were administered to 141 participants (85 men and
56 women) and an equal number of non-participants.
The two groups were matched as regards sex, age and
academic year. As a result of the nature of the
groups the tests were administered in small groups
or sometimes individually. All persons were tested
in the same set of controlled circumstances. In
order to determine the significance of differences
in the various groups, t-tests were administered.
The original assumption was that there would be differences as far as the groups were concerned, and
this assumption was supported by the following results:
1. Participants mainly showed characteristics
marking them as social extroverts. In accordance
with this they also emerged as being more dominant
and self-assured, as well as tending to evaluate
themselves more positively than the non-participants.
Although they further seemed to be more emotionally
stable than the non-participants they nevertheless
revealed a certain degree of nervousness and a
seeming pre-occupation with their bodily health.
The non-participants, in contrast, appeared introverted. Their social shrewdness and self-sufficiency as well as the higher degree of development
of self sentiment are indicators of this social
timidity. They also revealed a higher degree of
general anxiety than the participants.
2. Male participants seemed to be more intelligent
than their non-participating peers. In addition
to their more extroverted tendencies they also revealed a greater need for personal friendship than
the non-participants.
3. Female participants also revealed clear tendencies towards group activity and extroversion. This
was, however, in a lesser degree than among the
male participants.
4. There were also indications that men and women
differed as far as their personalities were concern=
ed quite apart from their involvement or non-involvement in sport (Tables 9-10). It would, however,
appear as if men and women who are actively involved
in sport show smaller differences from each other
than the non-participants.
5. Comparisons between the participants in the various branches of sport yielded few differences .
There is, however, the impression throughout that
the participants (male as well as female) are more
extroverted, self-assured, and dominant, except in
the case of the female gymnasts who seemed to be
more introverted by nature than the non-participants .
6 . The comparisons between the various branches of
sport yielded few significant differences. It was
quite remarkable, however, that the male tennis
players and the female athletes were the two groups
differing most markedly from the rest. | en_US |
